Category: Mt. Charleston

Sting, Sting…

We enjoyed a beautiful sunny cool day in the desert this weekend. Trekking back up to Mt. Charleston to see a glimpse of snow was a must on Sunday. We decided to stop at the visitors center to use the bathroom and our daughter decided she wanted to stay there and drive/ride no further. Anyone with a toddler, I am sure you understand the importance of this decision. Luckily, there are some lovely trails around the visitors center and they led us to snow. The dog enjoyed getting out of the car as well and he got to feel the earth between his pads. He was so excited and romped around next to our daughter the entire time. The trails were lined with vegetation and we talked about how lovely it would be to come back and see the same spot when spring comes. After playing in the snow for about half an hour, we ventured back to the car to get some snacks. Our daughter decided to stop and feel the dirt run through her fingers, hug bushes, and play with the dog instead of walking.

During this time, we got some amazing pictures and an opportunity for a family photo which is always a treat. This being said, we had no idea what was really about to happen. I was impressed that my phone camera caught the little critter so we could make sure everything was okay when it all took place. Insects are attracted to the color white and our daughter was wearing her pink jacket with white lining. So…needless to say…sting, sting, went the flying ant! Our poor baby looked at the dog in one of the photos and instantly grabbed her face and started crying. She managed to say “face” so we knew where to look and her cheek was swelling up. I thought it was a sting instantly and immediately checked for breathing and the list of safety precautions. So many thoughts race in the mind when little ones are hurt. I walked her over to the snow, and iced the swelling area as her tears stopped falling. Then, we went to the ranger station as it was closer than our car, and the swelling was gone. The sweet ranger helped us identify the insect from our photos and all was well.

Just a thought…what if, in a real emergency, there are no more Park Rangers? What are people going to do? After speaking with the rangers and staff there, many jobs are gone and funds for the jobs people currently have are low.

Advice: Stay safe out there and check your emergency kits!

I hope you all have a Marvelous Monday and thank you for reading.

-Karen Hilliard

Also, if you would like another way to show support, I have a few options. “Buy me a coffee” which is a way for anyone to contribute to the creative process behind the paintings. Fuel the artist so to speak. Here is the link if you are interested. The funds go to supplies and gas to get out to the trails. I truly appreciate the support and the fact that you are liking these blogs, as well as my art posts. I am working hard to bring you all fresh content! Here is the link to my Instagram where I try to post daily. You can also find me on Facebook at my art page Karen Hilliard Art.

If you would like to, please leave your Social Media handle on the “Buy me a Coffee” page so I can thank you in my Instagram/Facebook Stories! 🙂

Thank you again for all of your support!

Tags New Blog

Snow Days Part Two

So, hiking up the mountain pass to get to the trail was no easy feat. I realized about 100 feet in that I was on an incline. Prior to backpacking another human, I had no recollection that it was that intense. We parked pretty far away from the entrance to Fletcher Trail. I am laughing right now because I thought we parked a lot closer and was super happy with our spot. While walking I got in my head and counted my breaths to keep my mind steady. Luckily, there were children sledding to the left of us right off the road so it was a joyous walk. I imagined our daughter doing the same and it brought a smile to my face. Her and I pointed out people and animals we saw all the while my husband and dog were behind us. Eventually, I asked him to go ahead and I took my time. He definitely walked at a slow pace and stayed with us the whole time. Our dog tends to pull on the leash as if he is a sled dog in Alaska so I figured if he was the “lead dog” he may not pull as hard to get in the front. He ended up relaxing and it was a nice, slow, meandering hike to the trailhead.

Sled Dog — **ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR…AVAILABLE…CLICK HERE!**

Once we arrived there was some slippery packed down snow almost in the form of ice. We navigated around it nicely and then it got a lot more slushy in the sun spots. It was not until we trekked a little higher up the trail that the snow started to be crunchy and deep. We were so thankful and excited it turned into an awesome hike that the dog, and toddler, got to experience a wonderful winter wonderland. I mentioned in the previous blog about her building a “snow..ma” and walking around carefully through the snow. Watching her hunt for sticks for the arms, hair, and nose was also a precious moment. Our dog needed to be entertained with flying snowballs so he would leave her alone and not try to eat her sticks. My husband threw the snow one way and the dog went the other. He eventually paid attention and ran in the right direction but it was hilarious to watch. I think he was just overstimulated by all the amazing smells and sights. Were any of you able to go to the snow this year? Leave a comment below if you want to share! Thank you for reading and have a marvelous Monday…night!

-Karen Hilliard

If you would like to, please leave your Social Media handle on the “Buy me a Coffee” page so I can thank you in my Instagram/Facebook Stories! 🙂

Thank you again for all of your support!

Tags Fairbanks, New Blog, watercolor painting

Snow Days

While writing this blog in my mind for the last week and not knowing where to begin, I found a lovely song on Instagram available for reels. As I looked over my videos to inspire this post and decided on tapping into certain moments of the hike…the song choice flowed with our daughter walking around in the snow. The band is Inland Sky and the song is linked here, “Little Hands.” Have a listen if you will. This song is heartfelt and sums up not only the hiking expeditions or her joy, but motherhood along with hopes and dreams for all children. I immediately thought of her tiny hands finally touching snow and building her snowman, person, woman, yet she calls it “snow..ma.” I can close my eyes and remember the smells from the trail and how different the butterscotch of the ponderosa pines drifts up my nostrils compared to the heat of summer. Not as strong of a scent. All three of us pressed our noses up to the trees to see if one was stronger than the last. They all pretty much smelled mild.

Hearing the snow crunch beneath our feet was another sensation and it was interesting to feel myself sink further into the snow due to the tiny human on my back. She could not wait to get out of the backpack this time. Adventuring is about to change and a transition is coming for sure. As she grows, so do we as parents, and our trekking takes interesting turns. The dog was running around in certain sections where there were no travelers around and he had the time of his life. My husband and I both looked at each other and said, “well, he will sleep for about three days after this!” Um…nope, it was about a day and a half. This is the deal anyone signs up for if they get a herding dog. He is high energy and keeps us on our toes at all times…perfect for a toddler running around. I posted two videos on social media. One video of our dog running up the mountain chasing snowballs and the other of our daughter carefully navigating her movements around rocks through the snow. This week’s blogs will be all about this family excursion. Thank you for reading and I hope you had a Marvelous Monday!

-Karen Hilliard

We hiked Fletcher Canyon again. Although a completely different time of year, it reminded me of hiking with our daughter when I created the tiny paintings below.

Karen Hilliard Art Blog | Fletcher Trail | Mt. Charleston — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

Also, if you would like another way to show support, I have a few options. “Buy me a

If you would like to, please leave your Social Media handle on the “Buy me a Coffee” page so I can thank you in my Instagram/Facebook Stories! 🙂

Thank you again for all of your support!

Tags New Blog, watercolor painting

Horses

Our dream came true for our new human as she interacted with such a large quadruped for the first time. A male draft horse with long brown hair (coat) and a black midnight mane was enthralled with our daughter. I wondered what memories and new thoughts he was experiencing? Apparently, he had been around children many times for his first year of life and loved being near them. Our tiny human clung to my hip as she assessed her new surroundings and slowly warmed up to the amazing creature standing before us. This was such a wonderful experience all around and I am so pleased we were all there. My husband and I had been wanting to introduce our daughter to horses ever since she was born but were waiting for the right opportunity. I wanted her to have the chance to feel how I did as a child respecting the pure magnificence of what a horse truly is. I wanted her to see how they dance and move with the wind while also enjoying a human’s gentle voice or hand. A loving connection!

Our wonderful auntie shared her love of horses with us last Sunday. She was the perfect person to experience horses with for the first time. Not only was this trip enjoyable, and memorable, but it was also informative. Our daughter has been walking around the house saying “horse,” “pee,” “poop” etc. This is fascinating to watch and listen to as she tells her little stories of what she found interesting from our outing. Or, why she is committing it to memory because it was such a new and different experience. She had the pleasure of petting, and brushing the horse and his mane. She touched a lot of dirt and watched it run through her fingertips. We saw hay in small square and rectangle bite size servings. This one she was a little unimpressed with as the “hay” she has seen is on her farm video, and the feed did not look the same. She looked and shrugged, then continued to walk and found a burro. All the animals were friendly and loved being spoken to with kindness.

After our little walk around, she got to see a couple more horses up close and watch them go to the bathroom. This may be why “pee, horse” is what she is intrigued by. There is something about going outside and just being able to see a horse. To actually get to be near one and touch them, brush them, and be in their presence is such a gift. All the questions and hustle or bustle of the mind just seem to fade into their eyes. Then, a calmness sets in. Horses are just wonderful creatures all around, even the “untamed,” or “wild” ones. They happen to be a favorite of mine. They just are themselves in their most beautiful form. The one she got to experience was one of the most gentle and curious horses that I have met. We had an amazing time adventuring up to the canyon last weekend. The new word in our daily focus is now “horse!” Thank you again to our wonderful auntie and thank you all for reading. May your weekend be enjoyable!

-Karen Hilliard

If you would like to, please leave your Social Media handle on the “Buy me a Coffee” page so I can thank you in my Instagram/Facebook Stories! 🙂

Thank you again for all of your support!

Tags New Blog

Fletcher Trail Part Two

As we trekked up Fletcher Trail on Mt. Charleston, I was beginning to know how steep the incline really was. My breathing started to become quicker and shorter. In some parts I felt as if I was gasping a bit to get oxygen to my lungs. There was the terrifying thought of the smoke in the air and if it was a problem for the baby or myself. Then, I remembered, this was my first uphill hike in nearly two years and I had a bit more weight to carry than previous hikes. Not only have I gained weight due to pregnancy and delivery…I also had an entirely different being attached to my back. My husband and I are very tall and above the average height for a man or woman so it makes sense that our child is also tall for her age. I am lucky that she already would love to walk the trails with me. This being said…we do stop a lot to pick up rocks and find fascinating wonders of nature. Hiking these days is truly different and I love every minute of it.

The constant reminder to stop and enjoy the moment is wonderful. We never had a problem doing this before, yet now it is even more necessary. The things found by a child are items I would forget to take a second look at normally. I love the decay and decomposition of nature and recently have had the experience to look upon it with a completely new lens. Also on these new hiking excursions I have found sketching to be completely changed. Now, I am content with just a line. A hint of the subject if you will. Then a photograph for background reference just for these blogs, and a little painting upon returning home. This new way of looking at the world is becoming my favorite genre of my life. This is my best chapter yet in the book of life being created. In Friday’s blog, I will write about the rock fascination and the smells of the trail. Stay tuned and have a wonderful Wednesday!

Thank you for reading,

-Karen Hilliard

I created two small 4” x 4” paintings on this hike. More will be written about them in the future blogs as well. If you would like to view or purchase one of these paintings, just click them and you will be directed straight to them on my website.

Tags New Blog, watercolor painting

Fletcher Trail Part One

Driving up the mountain to the trail was an experience. The smoky air created a haze through the valley and I was unsure we would be able to hike. Stopping at the Visitor’s Center to speak with the rangers was a must to check on air quality and conditions. The verdict was that we still had time to hike safely. We were good on water and snacks but I still wanted to choose a quick out and back trail for safety reasons. The original goal was to hike the North Loop Trail, yet I decided on Fletcher. I had no idea the once thought of as a flat trail was actually a bit steep and an incline for the whole start. A lot can change when carrying a tiny human on my back. I am learning a lot in this new era of my life. Some of it, I am about to share with all of you.

Arriving in the parking lot was a feat in itself and we were lucky to have found a space. Then, there is the gathering of items, getting everything together, changing a baby, and getting her situated in the backpack. This is her favorite part of the entire experience. She loves being up in the air and among the trees. The water was ready, the snacks and diapers were packed. Good to go! Leaving the parking lot we ran into two hikers and I mentioned Ponderosa Pines smell like butterscotch if they wanted to smell them on the hike. They scoffed it off and hiked on, yet two really nice people overheard and said, “They do! Isn’t it so cool!” I love random, awesome people!!

After this I began our hike up, yes up, Fletcher Trail!! I will write more about our amazing experience in my blog on Wednesday, and for now I will leave you with these sketches I did. The sketch on the trail was a quick pen line with some circles to represent leaves. I painted the rest upon arriving home. I also created two small 4” x 4” paintings I included below. More will be written about them in the future blogs as well. If you would like to view or purchase one of these paintings, just click them and you will be directed straight to them on my website. I hope you all have a Marvelous Monday. Thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, watercolor painting

A Journey

“Where do you want to travel to next?” This was a question I asked my husband on our first hike together, which he thought was a date. I ask everyone I meet if they want to go hiking because I love the outdoors. Years later, we decided it could be our first date because we both liked each other instantly and the trail turned into many trails throughout the years. Traveling and being outside is one of our shared loves. The other is the ability to think the same thing at the same time even all these years later. After asking him the question about where to travel, he said “Machu Picchu” and this was the same place I had in mind. Before we planned this trip, we decided to get married and then it became a Honeymoon excursion. Since the altitude is much higher in Peru than here in the desert we needed to prepare our bodies and train.

Mt. Charleston Small Works Series 3 | Karen Hilliard Art | Watercolor | Tiny Paintings — CLICK EACH PICTURE TO GO TO THE PAINTING ON THE WEBSITE!!

Karen Hilliard Art Blog | Hiking | Hike | Mt. Charleston | Tiny Paintings — CLICK EACH PICTURE TO GO TO THE PAINTING ON THE WEBSITE!!

We thought Mt. Charleston would be the best place to hike every weekend to get our lungs ready for the altitude difference. Cusco, Peru has an elevation of 11,152 feet and Mt. Charleston, Nevada stands at 11,916 feet at its peak. Chris and I were not able to hike all the way to the top before our trip, so we trained on our original trail, and we climbed to about 8,000 feet. Northloop Trailhead has some spots for cars so it is recommended to arrive as early as possible, especially on the weekends like we did. Going as often as we could, we felt we were ready for the trip at this point. In a future blog I will write about where we traveled, the elevation gains, and the need for Oxygen at certain points of the trail while in Peru. For now, I will share the journey we took to South America.

After hiking Mt. Charleston on the weekends, the next idea was to visit our friends in Ohio and Chicago, then fly out of O’Hare. The tickets were more affordable and we got to stop off at our friend’s farms along the way. We drove to Chicago, to pick up a friend, and then continued on to Ohio to stay at Benham Farms, where the hosts are an amazing couple with oodles of information on techniques, crop development, and grazing rotation. We were also able to venture into Yellow Springs for a walk along the river and a taste of the awesome brews from Yellow Springs Brewery. It is always nice to have a break in the hard work during the middle of the day. Then we got to go back to the farm for a night of gazing at fireflies. Not a bad way to end the day or this blog post.

Thank you for reading and have a happy Monday!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags Machu Picchu, Mt. Charleston, New Blog, Ohio, Peru, watercolor painting

All Weather is Good Weather

Winter

“All weather is good weather,” is a phrase we use in our household. No matter the circumstances, we try to be outside. Luckily, we do not have hurricanes or tornadoes in the desert here, or severe blizzards. All of this being said, the rain, snow, sleet, hail, heat, etc. keeps us on our toes and we try to keep a positive mindset. I recently posted a question on Facebook asking what season was a person’s favorite and why. The responses received were awesome. One person in particular wrote, all, for their individual reasons. I am going to take the next four posts and write about each season and what I like about them because I was inspired by this person’s comment.

Soulful Wanderer• Watercolor Portrait • Karen Hilliard Art — Hiking with our dog in the winter snow.

Let’s start with winter because January starts the year off. I love the winter and the cooler temperatures. Snow is beautiful, before it gets brown and mushy. The white calm of a winter morning when no one is out, and the fresh powder rests on the ground in the quiet dawn, is an amazing sight. I love the feeling of winter and the chill on my face, down my esophagus as I breathe in, and the midst out of my mouth as I exhale. A warm cup of cocoa in hand and I am the happiest of people. One of my favorite things to do is knit and this makes the colder months quite enjoyable for me. I love handmade gifts and making gifts for others. Sweaters, hats, scarves, and mittens, etc. are all items filling up our closet at home. Luckily, because we go outside often, we are able to get a good use out of these treasures.

CLICK HERE FOR THE ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR-> “SLED DOG”

Another reason I and my husband love winter is for the activities in the outdoors. We love snowshoeing through the woods for hours on end discussing everything we see and just relaxing. I know for many this is strange, but we also love to shovel snow! It is an amazing workout and very calming. I also love watching winter sports like hockey, figure skating, snowboarding, skiing etc. I had the pleasure of dogsledding in Alaska some years ago and it was glorious. Being out in the wilderness running and riding with dogs, and watching their excitement was awesome. I loved looking at the trees covered in a magical white dusting and the sunlight coming through the pine needles. This thought leads me to Christmas which is my most loved holiday. All my happiest memories are tied into this time of year. You can read about some of the reasons in my previous blog titled Christmas Ornaments. Please go ahead and leave your favorite weather or season in the comments below. I would love to keep this conversation going! Have a happy Monday and look for Spring on Wednesday!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, seasons, weather, winter

True Renaissance

In my last blog I mentioned the importance of having a close group of friends to critique work and bounce ideas off of as something I find helpful. One friend in particular, one of my main sources of confidant for my art projects is such a person. They are the true embodiment of a person who writes, paints, creates in many mediums, and is a philosopher, an inventor, etc. In my mind, they can literally do anything they set their mind to. The reason I chose to write about them in this blog is to motivate others. Anytime I am confused, scared, or nervous about entering a competition, figuring things out on social media, you name it, they are there. A positive force in my life that builds me up and adds the word “and” instead of “but” when bouncing ideas off of them. They are considered a family member to me in so many ways and one of my husband and my closest friends. They watched our dog for us once and we came home to this beautiful painting of a tree from Mt. Charleston as a wonderful gift just because.

This person is a rare entity who is so intelligent but does not boast, well not to many. People who meet them would not even fathom their level of brilliance. It takes them a good while to show their true self and I am so fortunate they opened up to become part of my family. Anytime I have a problem or question, they are who I communicate with to figure out my next steps art wise. They are a digital creator as well as a phenomenal writer. I am putting the link to their website and I highly recommend checking out their artwork. If you like any of their paintings and wanted to purchase anything, you would be helping out an amazing person. Currently this person is working many jobs and their main one is at a hospital cooking food for patients. They are just fantastic and I hope you like their style of artwork as it always lifts me up. I personally enjoy their humor, intelligence, and whimsy in every piece of artwork they create. Their writing may be my favorite. I am leaving their name off of this post as they are very humble and want their art to speak for itself. Please enjoy viewing their work at hagabaudr8.art

Their writing is under “Stories,” Blog is under “Logbook,” and their artwork is under the “Portfolio” link at the bottom of every page on the website.

Thank you for reading my blog and have a happy weekend!

-Karen Hilliard

Getting Ideas Together

Daily sketching for the series “The Wonder of Trees” has brought my mind to new places. So many ideas are floating around inside my head for where I want to take this series and what I want my viewers to get out of the experience. Trees are wonderful in so many ways. I find myself focusing on the intricacies of the bark. The lines or striations that grow, adapt, and develop overtime are fascinating to me. Nature has so many rich and subtle colors and everyone sees these differently. I love using a brown and blue mixture of paint to get the dark shadows and let these hues dry for days or weeks. They are so rich and deep all on their own and stand out with such presence. These colors remind me of how I feel when out walking on a hike and staring up at these tall wonders.

There will be a variety of trees in this series. Not all will be tall wonders with their roots planted firmly in the ground outstretching for miles. Some trees will be wood curled upon itself, fallen from their mighty mountain tops, or simply bushes that have rolled their way into a new life. Finding random cactus, weeds, and bushes that have turned into a hard wood appearance is a great joy of mine. I also love how Joshua trees form a hard seed pod that could be used as a baby’s rattle with all the dried seeds inside. The outer appearance is wrinkled, lined, speckled, and amazing. I did a whole series on these pods under my Acrylic Paintings Tab if anyone would like to see what I am writing about.

What are some amazing hikes you have been on? Did you find anything fascinating while you were walking? I always love walking in the Redwood Forests of California. The coastal air or salt and sea is wonderful. The trees always make me feel cool and shaded from the sun in a form of protection. I love the ferns on the ground and the forest floor filled with debris from the trees above. Almost as if I am walking in a whole different world filled with possibilities. I would love to hear about your experiences, hiking or otherwise. Especially, how the journey made you feel or what it made you wonder about. Thank you for reading! Until next time…

-Karen Hilliard